'The Voice' Coaches: Nobody's Going Anywhere

If you're a teacher and you break your leg and the class loves the substitute teacher just as much as you, and maybe even more, that has to hurt, right? But you've still got to go back to school and make 'em remember why they love you.

In unrelated news, Christina Aguilera is returning to "The Voice." According to Entertainment Weekly, she is working the fall shift with her original castmates — Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, and Blake Shelton. Usher and Shakira will step in for CeeLo and Christina in the winter so that they can go to artist colonies or whatever.

Sources say Aguilera will take in between $12 million and $17 million. And if rumored history repeats itself, it will be a miracle when she finally shows up to work, and when she does settle into her red swivel chair, she will probably begin fighting with Adam Levine.

Shakira and Usher perform with Levine and Shelton:

But ratings are so good for "The Voice" — unlike "American Idol" and "The X Factor" — that her salary and all the attendant drama probably seem like a drop in the bucket to NBC.

"As I have expressed since day one of the show, that I am a singer and performer first and I am so excited to get back to that love," Aguilera said in December. "It is important for me to take Season 4 off, allowing me to support my music that my fans have been waiting for — with the release of my new album 'Lotus' on November 13."

Sometimes it's as if Aguilera and Shakira are in a battle to see who can be most dramatic in the press. This is what Shakira told E! News mere days ago:

"It was a hard decision for me to make, because I'm really fond of the coaches, the people in production and everybody around me. And I really enjoyed 'The Voice,' but I also have a musical career and I'm also a mother now and my poor baby's so tired flying such long distances. He already has more miles than any pilot. So I think I have to give him a little break, and we'll see what happens in the future."

Xtina and CeeLo sing with Shelton and Levine:

Is there a lesson for "Idol" and "X Factor" here? "The Voice" is killing its competition in the ratings, proving that you don't need epic uber-rich tabloid heroines like Mariah Carey or Britney Spears to reel in viewers. TV has long been a place where stars are made. Before "The Voice," did you care that much about Blake Shelton's personal life? Didn't think so.